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Regiment of Patricians

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The regiment was formed as the Legión Patricia ("Patricians' Legion) from inhabitants of Buenos Aires in 1806 to fight against the British invasions of the River Plate. Among some of its first members, it included a woman, the Alférez (approximately, second lieutenant) Manuela Pedraza, one of the heroes of the Defense of Buenos Aires in 1806. The regiment, therefore, existed prior to Argentine independence. Their first commander was Cornelio Saavedra. The regiment also fought in May Revolution, Cisplatine War, Platine War, Paraguayan War, Dirty War, and Falklands War.

Although the word "Patrician" is usually employed as a synonym for aristocrat, in the naming of the Regiment it meant "the sons of the homeland" (Spanish "Patria" meaning "homeland"). Indeed, the original members of the Regiment were not aristocrats but Criollos, who were much farther down in the social hierarchy of the time.

Creation

Prior to the arrival of British troops, Viceroy Santiago de Liniers decided that volunteers are drawn from the population of Buenos Aires muster at the Fort on 15 September 1806. More than 4,000 men appeared, who had to be enrolled in other military units.

It was the largest and most powerful unit recruited for the Defense of Buenos Aires and, like other urban military units formed, was granted the privilege of electing its officers. The first election was held at the Consulate of Buenos Aires on November 8, 1806. Lieutenant Colonel Cornelio Saavedra was elected as head of the Corps or Legion and commander of the 1st Battalion, Esteban Romero was elected commander of the Second Battalion, and José Domingo Urien the Third Battalion commander. Manuel Belgrano was elected Sergeant Major (later replaced by Juan José Viamonte) and among other officers commissioned were Feliciano Chiclana, Vicente López y Planes, and Eustace Perdriel Gregorio Díaz Vélez.

St. Martin of Tours became the patron of the unit and on 9 November the regimental colors were consecrated with full ceremonial at the Cathedral of Buenos Aires along with that of the Arribeños Corps. The unit was then called the Buenos Aires Patrician Volunteer Urban Legion, with the status of a full Tercio or Colonial Regiment of Militia.

The Patricios Legion was made up of three battalions and the regimental HQ, with 23 companies of 50 men each (8 battalions I and III and seven in the II), with a total of 1,356 soldiers.

Composition of the Patricians Legion in 1807

Regimental command

  • Commander of the 1st Battalion and the Patricians Legion: Lt. Col. Cornelio Saavedra
  • Commander of the 2nd Battalion: Major Esteban Romero
  • Commander of the 3rd Battalion: Major Jose Domingo Urien
  • Regimental Sergeant Major: Manuel Belgrano, later Juan Jose Viamonte
  • 3 Adjutants
  • 3 Flag Sublieutenants
  • 2 Captains in reserve
  • 3 Chaplains
  • 3 Regimental Surgeons

Battalion composition

  • 1st Battalion, Patricians Legion
    • 1st-8th Companies
  • 2nd Battalion, Patricians Legion
    • 1st-7th Companies
  • 3rd Battalion, Patricians Legion
    • 1st-8th Companies

In all: 69 Officers, 70 Sergeants, 20 Drummers, 179 Corporals, and 1,059 enlisted soldiers, for a total of 1,395 Patrician Legionnaires.

Baptism of fire

During the second British invasion of the River Plate, Saavedra was deployed to Colonia del Sacramento with a contingent of troops, but after the British captured Montevideo he returned to Buenos Aires in February 1807.

On 7 June 1807, during the battle of San Pedro in the Banda Oriental, the Spanish forces from Buenos Aires led by Francisco Javier Elio, including several companies of the Patricians Legion, were preparing to storm Colonia del Sacramento. The British, under Lt. Col. Denis Pack, attacked and defeated them.

The whole unit had its baptism of fire on 4 July 1807 when the British attacked Buenos Aires. The 1st and 2nd Battalions of the Patricios Legion were located in the Division of Right (red flag), while the 3rd Battalion was in the Reserve Division (Tricolor). The Legion, together with the other urban military battalions deployed, won that battle.

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